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Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

The difference is the changes in medical books are due to increasing
science, whereas to some degree the obsolence of VB6 texts is the result of
a single ill-advised business decision of a single effectively monolopostic
company.

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

> But business is business, whether it's healthcare or IT. Medicine directs
> its efforts at solving real-world problems --- thus new drugs, new
treatments,
> new tools (some developed with the assistance of programmers), new
surgeries.
> But each one of these "advances" brings on its own problem set -- problems
> that need to be addressed.
> To assume that the move to .NET is not an attempt
> to address real-world business problems is exceedingly naive.

Again, I like .NET. I dislike the philosophy with which *VB*.NET was
implemented, and believe it is an indicator of a certain company's respect
for the code base of its users. I also think .NET is a step in that
company's goal of deriving income from every mouse click of every user,
which scares me.
> Does this transition
> create a new set of problems? Yes. Does this mean that .NET is worthless?
> No.

IMO the world would be better if MS had implemented CORBA instead of
inventing COM. Similarily, if MS & Sun could have looked at the world
instead of themselves -- ie, putting the USERS first -- things would be
better.

> And don't assume that doctors or nurses don't resist new technologies --
> they do. They whine and complain just as much as the .NOTs do on this
board.
> It doesn't stop changes from occurring, it just raises their stress level.

Careful, this is an area I know something about. My family has several
doctors, nurses, and a lawyer and an undertaker. We have all the bases
covered. ;-)

Our next door neighbor in 1964 died from kidney disease. In the 1970's my
dad, an M.D., started a dialysis unit in western South Dakota that would
have kept the 60's next door neighbor alive until he was old. My dad also
started two other new programs of treatment, and as a teen I observed the
first of a certain procedure done in South Dakota.

In my experience "young thinking" medical people are quick to embrace
technologies which help people (unless constrained by legal issues or
potential legal issues.)

Some years ago my wife updated her nursing license, spending many hours in
classes. Unfortunately, fully half the time was spent in legal issues, not
the science of helping people heal. Find a lawyer & thank him or her.

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

"Mark Jerde" <mark.jerde@verizon.no.spam.net> wrote:
>> And don't assume that doctors or nurses don't resist new technologies
--
>> they do. They whine and complain just as much as the .NOTs do on this
>board.
>> It doesn't stop changes from occurring, it just raises their stress level.
>
>Careful, this is an area I know something about. My family has several
>doctors, nurses, and a lawyer and an undertaker. We have all the bases
>covered. ;-)
>
>Our next door neighbor in 1964 died from kidney disease. In the 1970's
my
>dad, an M.D., started a dialysis unit in western South Dakota that would
>have kept the 60's next door neighbor alive until he was old. My dad also
>started two other new programs of treatment, and as a teen I observed the
>first of a certain procedure done in South Dakota.
>
>In my experience "young thinking" medical people are quick to embrace
>technologies which help people (unless constrained by legal issues or
>potential legal issues.)

Well, Mark, this is an area I also know a great deal about, being both an
RN and a programmer. "Young thinking" medical people become tomorrow's "old
doctor", with outdated knowledge and skills. (Your father was a "young-thinking"
medical person in 1970's). After a number of years in this business, I can
tell you that today's research study can be refuted by a new study next year
(think Estrogen Replacement Therapy for menopause). It's still up to the
individual practitioner to formulate a treatment plan based on their own
best clinical judgement. In evaluating new intiatives in IT (including .NET),
it's no different. You choose which one you embrace, based on your knowledge
and experience.
>
>Some years ago my wife updated her nursing license, spending many hours
in
>classes. Unfortunately, fully half the time was spent in legal issues,
not
>the science of helping people heal. Find a lawyer & thank him or her.

Well, I won't disagree with you there. Practitioners spend too much of their
time consumed with protecting themselves against lawsuits or pleasing the
regulators. And, given our suit-happy society, you couldn't blame Microsoft
if they aren't thinking the same thing.

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

> Well, Mark, this is an area I also know a great deal about, being both an
> RN and a programmer. "Young thinking" medical people become tomorrow's
"old
> doctor", with outdated knowledge and skills. (Your father was a
"young-thinking"
> medical person in 1970's). After a number of years in this business, I can
> tell you that today's research study can be refuted by a new study next
year
> (think Estrogen Replacement Therapy for menopause). It's still up to the
> individual practitioner to formulate a treatment plan based on their own
> best clinical judgement. In evaluating new intiatives in IT (including
..NET),
> it's no different. You choose which one you embrace, based on your
knowledge
> and experience.

I've seen some very "young thinking" doctors in very old bodies, and some
very "old thinking" doctors in very young bodies. ;-) The chronological
age doesn't seem to have much to do with it, as long as the neurons are
still firing.

> After a number of years in this business, I can
> tell you that today's research study can be refuted by a new study next
year
> (think Estrogen Replacement Therapy for menopause).

I have many old books, including a set of childrens' encyclopedias showing
the the U.S.S. Arizona steaming into New York harbor, picture of "The Great
War" (now WWI) and President Harding. (? have to look it up?)

Many of the science things are a hoot to read:
- The mountains were caused by the crinkling of the earth as it cooled.
- The universe might be as large as 30,000 light years across.

Application: Much of today's knowledge will be tomorrow's joke as we gain
better information.

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

"Mark Jerde" <mark.jerde@verizon.no.spam.net> wrote:
>I've seen some very "young thinking" doctors in very old bodies, and some
>very "old thinking" doctors in very young bodies. ;-) The chronological
>age doesn't seem to have much to do with it, as long as the neurons are
>still firing.
>
True, but the world tends to go by outward appearances. And in medicine,
sometimes, people get nervous having that "young doctor" take care of them,
even though they may be better schooled in the newest treatments.

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

"Phil Weber" <pweber@nospam.fawcette.com> wrote:
>Vinay: I agree that the docs could be better, but I haven't experienced
the
>difficulty you describe in finding answers to my questions. By searching
at
>www.google.com , groups.google.com and/or news.devx.com , I've been able
to
>find the solutions to most of my .NET issues within minutes.
>--
>Phil Weber
>

And I never said that u r not able to find solutions. The point is if u have
vs.net and its documentation (or some text editor & framework SDK) then u
need not have to visit ngs or read books for help.
Well the current documentation has class lib documentation but it lacks some
things...... hmm... if u know UML, its like current docs contains only class
diagrams but it lacks (mainly) collaberation diagrams and use cases.

If someone asks me what u want in next release of .NET platform, my answer
will be comprehensive documentation as first priority.

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

"Mark Jerde" <mark.jerde@verizon.no.spam.net> wrote:
>I have many old books, including a set of childrens' encyclopedias showing
>the the U.S.S. Arizona steaming into New York harbor, picture of "The Great
>War" (now WWI) and President Harding. (? have to look it up?)
>
>Many of the science things are a hoot to read:
> - The mountains were caused by the crinkling of the earth as it cooled.
> - The universe might be as large as 30,000 light years across.
>
>Application: Much of today's knowledge will be tomorrow's joke as we gain
>better information.
>
> -- Mark

I enjoyed reading those. Sometimes, it's hard to believe how much people
didn't know, even as little as 30 years ago.

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

On 6 Feb 2003 17:28:43 -0800, <vb.@127.0.0.1> wrote:
>Mike, I don't know of any profession where this isn't true. If you want to
>stay competitive and marketable, you have to continually upgrade your knowledge
>and your skills. You wouldn't want your doctor managing your diabetes or
>your heart attack with books from the 1970's.

But that knowledge builds upon existing knowledge by expanding what we
already know with what we later find out. VB.Net is fundamentally
different from classic VB, however. It's as if a doctor suddenly
decides to become a veterinary. However, even then there are a lot of
similarities between human beings and other animals. In the case of
VB.Net, though, there is probably not a paragraph in any VB.Net book
that could be said to be compatible with any classic book on VB, hence
all the latter *are* redundant.

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

On 6 Feb 2003 18:38:36 -0800, <vb.@127.0.0.1> wrote:
>..... To assume that the move to .NET is not an attempt
>to address real-world business problems is exceedingly naive. Does this transition
>create a new set of problems? Yes. Does this mean that .NET is worthless?
>No.

This latter question really deserves further consideration. I still do
not know what glaring gap in technology required a WHOLE NEW SYSTEM,
rather than evolve gradually from where we were. And I cannot help but
come to the conclusion that it was done (a) to give the finger to Sun
over the Java business; and (b) to refresh the Microsoft revenue
stream following the stagnation of the PC market. That is, a *genuine*
reason was there none.

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

On Thu, 6 Feb 2003 22:29:50 -0500, "Mark Jerde"
<mark.jerde@verizon.no.spam.net> wrote:
>Careful, this is an area I know something about. My family has several
>doctors, nurses, and a lawyer and an undertaker. We have all the bases
>covered. ;-)

Hey, just think of Six Feet Under, ER and Scrubs! The royalities
accruing to just one family could be enormous!

Re: Microsoft's C++ bigotry

On Fri, 7 Feb 2003 01:05:06 -0500, "Mark Jerde"
<mark.jerde@verizon.no.spam.net> wrote:
>I've seen some very "young thinking" doctors in very old bodies, and some
>very "old thinking" doctors in very young bodies. ;-) The chronological
>age doesn't seem to have much to do with it, as long as the neurons are
>still firing.

I'd rather have an old doctor than a young one. Experience counts for
a lot, in my view. The young-uns are keen, but haven't yet developed
that sixth sense for what is potentially serious and what probably
isn't. Most older doctors can tell at a glance the moment the patient
walks into the consulting room whether it's serious or not. All their
senses are attuned to it, and that comes only after many years and
seeing countless thousands of patients. Oh, and so as not to break the
cycle, I, too, have a doctor in the family!